4 Must-Visit Destinations Where Your Dollars (And Points) Are Worth More

I’m a budget traveler who enjoys the finer things in my life. I like the thrill of finding a good airfare deal, using hotel points for lodging, and exploring a destination with good but affordable cuisine.

Due to this preference, I’m drawn to destinations where my money goes the furthest. As a budget traveler doesn’t mean I avoid splurging for bucket list destinations, but I still want good value.

Here are some of my favorite destinations where my travel currencies delivered great experiences for a relatively low outlay of funds.

1. Argentina

Argentina is, by far, one of the most inexpensive countries I have visited. This is due to the devaluation of the Argentine Peso, which has plummeted against the U.S. dollar. Even credit card purchases receive a favorable exchange rate near the “blue dollar” rate, reaching approximately 1,000 Argentine Pesos to 1 U.S. dollar.

While disastrous for the people of Argentina, the devaluation makes the country a must-visit for Americans seeking an amazing experience for very little money.

Hotels

With low cash prices, free nights by redeeming hotel points can also be favorable:

• Sheraton Mendoza — Approximately 66,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a 5-night stay. Breakfast, an evening meal, and 2 glasses of wine daily were included when I stayed there.
• Park Hyatt Mendoza — 12,000 World of Hyatt points for a 1-night stay
• Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt Buenos Aires — 21,000 to 29,000 World of Hyatt points for a 1-night stay

The Chase Sapphire Reserve^® earns Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to the World of Hyatt program at a 1:1 ratio, resulting in great value for booking Hyatt hotels in Argentina. The card also helps me keep track of all my trip expenses, does not charge foreign transaction fees, and includes excellent travel insurance benefits.

Dining

A quaint restaurant at a mountain lodge in the Andes served a fabulous meal of local stew, lentils, veggie empanada, chicken, vegetable rice, wine, carrot salad, and dulce de leche pudding for dessert. We paid $10 each.

Dinner at a very nice restaurant in Mendoza consisted of a steak dinner, fish dinner, 2 plates of grilled vegetables, empanadas, a side of potatoes, a bottle of red wine, desserts for 2, and after-dinner drinks for $32.

Experiences

• Mendoza Wine Tour — A 6-hour tour, including tastings, is about $50
• Andes Mountains Tour from Mendoza — Around 12 hours for $60
• Buenos Aires Food Tour — $30
• Tango Performance in Boca Neighborhood, Buenos Aires — Free when you purchase a drink

2. Mexico

The Mexican Peso to U.S. Dollar exchange rate has benefited U.S. travelers for years. Whether in Mexico City, Merida, Puerto Vallarta, or Mazatlan, I’m assured affordable lodging, an inexpensive, delicious meal, and unique experiences that don’t cost a fortune.

Hotels

Except for the resort areas during peak season and spring break, Mexico can be one of the best vacation values for those who like a little luxury for less. Fortunately, a good currency exchange can translate into a good hotel loyalty points redemption.

• El Pescador Hotel Puerto Vallarta — $549 for 5 nights for an oceanfront room, breakfast included, during peak season, about $100 less for shoulder seasons
• Sheraton Buganvilias Resort — 146,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 5 nights during peak season
• Hampton Inn at Mexico City Zocalo — City center, $112 per night over New Year’s weekend
• Hilton Vallarta All Inclusive Resort — 308,000 Hilton Honors points for 5 nights

Dining

It’s easy to eat well and inexpensively in Mexico. A light meal at a casual restaurant or street food can cost just a few dollars. I can enjoy a more ample dinner of fresh grilled fish for less than $20 at several restaurants in Puerto Vallarta. Live music will likely be included.

Margaritas at the pool are $4 and are often 2 for 1 at happy hour. Add a large plate of fresh guacamole for just $5.

Experiences

• Teotihuacan Pyramids Day Tour — Full-day tour of the archeological site and pyramids of the sun and moon from Mexico City, less than $40
• Xochimilco Canals Kayak at Sunrise Tour — $20
• Cabaret Show with Drinks in the Romantic Zone Puerto Vallarta — $16

3. Spain

I love everything about Spain and work hard to find new destinations to explore. My favorites have been cities along the southern coast and Mallorca, including Malaga, Alicante, Almeria, Valencia, and Palma.

Hotels

Marriott’s AC Hotel brand is an affordable and consistent lodging choice in Spain. As a Marriott Bonvoy member, I can receive a free hotel night when booking 5 consecutive award nights. Cash rates can also be favorable with the AC brand:

• AC Hotel Almeria — $303 for 5 nights
• AC Hotel Málaga Palacio — 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 5 nights
• AC Hotel Ciutat de Palma — 52,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 5 nights
• AC Hotel Alicante — 49,500 Marriott Bonvoy points for 5 nights
• AC Hotel Guadalajara — $97 per night or 37,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for 5 nights

I’ll use my Marriott Bonvoy Bevy^® American Express^® Card until I reach $15,000 in purchases each year to earn a free night certificate. The card earns 4x points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).

Dining

A meal of fresh fish and a glass of wine on the southern coast of Spain can cost as little as $10. A bottle of very decent wine can cost less than $5. I earn 4x Membership Rewards points on restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year) with my American Express^® Gold Card and transfer them to Marriott Bonvoy during a transfer bonus promotion.

Experiences

• Entrance to Alcazaba fortress in Malaga — $3.50, $1.50 for seniors, students, and handicapped visitors
• Train from Malaga to Gibraltar, Spain — $10
• Day Trip to Port de Sóller from Palma, Mallorca — $50 round trip on a narrow-gauged rail train to the city of Sóller, an ongoing tram to the port, and return

4. Norway

You wouldn’t think of Norway as a country where the U.S. dollar would go far. I expected to spend thousands of dollars to visit. However, In the past decade, the Norwegian krone has devalued more than 30% against the U.S. dollar, according to Visit Norway.

Norway has become a more affordable destination for U.S. travelers. With the favorable exchange rate and the ability to use hotel loyalty points for lodging, it’s one of my new favorite destinations.

Hotels

Lodging in Norway is generally expensive, but there is a sweet spot with the Choice Hotels brand. I can book comfortable lodging, including breakfast, for just 16,000 Choice Privileges points per night. One hotel I booked even included dinner.

Hot Tip:

Read my guide to planning a trip to Norway on a budget to learn more about the value of booking Choice Hotels in Norway.

Dining

Breakfast being included with my hotel stay dramatically cut the overall cost of dining in Norway.

An additional cost-saving measure was shopping at the supermarket for local ingredients. For less than $10, I bought enough delicious local smoked salmon to make 4 sandwiches.

The all-you-can-eat sushi at Sabrura Sticks and Sushi restaurant in Tromso, Norway, also found throughout Norway, was a bargain at $21. Splurging on a fresh fish dinner was about $40.

Experiences

Experiences are expensive in Norway. I offset the cost by triple-dipping rewards via Viator. I earn Membership Rewards points via Rakuten, 2x Ultimate Rewards points by paying with my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card, and Viator Rewards on every booking.

However, If I have to pick 1 card that provides value for a trip to Norway, it would be my Citi Strata Premier card. The card earns Citi ThankYou Points that transfer to Choice Privileges at a 1:2 ratio.

For every $2,667 I spend on my card, at 3x points for air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations, I’ll earn enough rewards — 16,000 points — for a free Choice hotel night!

Hot Tip:

The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card and the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card also earn rewards that transfer to Choice Privileges at a 1:2 ratio.

Final Thoughts

There are many countries where the U.S. dollar is quite strong and, subsequently, good value for my airline miles and hotel points. In addition to the countries I’ve mentioned, I’ve found great value in Morocco, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and more.